Golf club with deep undercut

Abstract

A golf club head having a deep undercut is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a cavity in a back portion thereof, opposite the striking face. A recess is provided in the back portion of the club head in proximity of the heel and, optionally, the sole. The recess may extend to the hosel bore, and may be separate from the cavity. An insert, such as a dampening member or a weight member, may be positioned within the recess. The recess and any insert provided therein alter the club head moment of inertia and center of gravity location, providing an improved feel to the golf club.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a golf club. In particular, the present invention relates to a golf club head having a deep undercut.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Golf club heads come in many different forms and makes, such as wood- or metal-type, iron-type (including wedge-type club heads), utility- or specialty-type, and putter-type. Each of these styles has a prescribed function and make-up. The present invention relates to golf club heads that have a predominantly solid material area located near the heel of the club head.[0005]Iron-type and utility-type golf club heads generally include a front or striking face, a hosel, and a sole. The front face interfaces with and strikes the golf ball. A plurality of grooves, sometimes referred to as “score lines,” is provided on the face to assist in imparting spin to the ball. The hosel is generally configured to have a particular look to the golfer, to provid...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The present invention relates to a golf club head. In particular, the present invention relates to an iron-type golf club head with a cavity back and a deep undercut. Traditionally, a large amount of mass or solid material in an iron-type golf club is concentrated between the bottom of the hosel bore and heel-most area of the cavity. Most of the material beyond what is required to maintain structural integrity can be considered parasitic when it comes to designing a more forgiving golf club. The present invention provides an improved golf club by removing this excess or superfluous material and redistributing it elsewhere such that it may do one or more of the following: increase the overall size of the club head, expand the size of the club head sweet spot, optimize the club head center of gravity, and / or produce a great club head moment of inertia.

[0014]The recess may be a hollow volume separate from the cavity. Separating the recess from the cavity precludes the possibility of any material becoming lodged therein, which may have an adverse effect.

[0015]An insert may be provided within the recess. The insert may fill the entire recess volume, or only a portion thereof. The insert may include a dampening material, such as a viscoelastic material, a foamed material, and a material having a damping coefficient greater than 0.2. The dampening member attenuates any vibrations that may be generated during the golf swing, improving the feel and playability of the club. The insert may include a weight member to increase the moment of inertia and / or reposition the center of gravity, increasing the forgiveness of the club. The insert may also be a hybrid insert, including both one or more dampening members and one or more weight members.

Problems solved by technology

Most of the material beyond what is required to maintain structural integrity can be considered parasitic when it comes to designing a more forgiving golf club.

Separating the recess from the cavity precludes the possibility of any material becoming lodged therein, which may have an adverse effect.

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